Dan Benishek is a Climate Change Denier

Rep. Dan Benishek
Michigan

"Despite overwhelming scientific evidence that humans are contributing to climate change, Rep. Benishek has said that climate change is 'all baloney' and 'just some scheme.' Pointing to his background as a general surgeon, Benishek claims he's 'a scientist' who has the expertise to know that climate change is 'unproven science stuff.'"

What climate change means for Michigan

In 2012, rapid plant growth as a result of unusually high temperatures and warm, nighttime early spring temperatures resulted in tree fruit development that was at least four weeks ahead of normal by late March. A return to a normal spring weather pattern resulted in a series of freezes that destroyed the cherry crop and at least 90% of the apple, peach, and juice grape crops. An event of that severity had not occurred since 1945.

In Michigan, there were more than 14,300 hospital admissions for asthma in 2011, with an average charge of more than $15,000 for each stay.

In 2012, hazardous weather caused 9 deaths and 119 injuries, and cost $153 million and $42 million in property and crop damage respectively.

Midwesterners will experience increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events due to climate change, including heat waves, floods, and lake-effect snow. In 2011, 11 of the 14 U.S. weather-related disasters with damages of more than $1 billion occurred in the Midwest. While severe flooding is already an issue in the region—in 2008, floods caused 24 deaths and $8 billion in agricultural losses—likely increases in precipitation in winter and spring and more heavy downpours mean it is expected to become more commonplace. Greater evaporation in the summer is also likely to result in water deficits. Longer and more extreme heat waves will impact human health through reduced air quality and increases in insect and waterborne diseases, and require increased use of electricity for cooling, further increasing carbon pollution. While the longer growing season provides the potential for increased crop yields, increases in heat waves, floods, droughts, insects, and weeds will present growing challenges to managing crops, livestock, and forests.